Il Japan it is a country of contrasts. Together with centuries-old traditions and respect for the past, the most modern trends and great technological advances coexist. Among the traditional elements, one of the most striking are its temples. We have all seen their images, with their characteristic shapes and curious stories. In some of them, visitors can even experience spending the night and living with the monks. These shukubowhich in the Japanese language literally means “sleeping with the monks”, offer accommodation where peace and tranquility are the dominant note, they are so popular that even conventional houses and lodgings have been architecturally inspired by them.
It is the case of Dokubo + The Frienda residence located in the inland sea of Seto and designed by Schemata Architects.
The main house, tea room, guest rooms and dining room are situated on a slope facing the sea to the south. To provide space for visitors, the owner built a boarding house and pub which he called “The Friend“. The slope where the new buildings have been added rises counterclockwise and is dotted with other structures.
In the construction of the new building, special care was taken to avoid obstructing the view of the landscape of Setouchi already offered by existing buildings. The guest house, inspired by the design of shukubo lodgings, is called dokubowhich means “lonely rooms”.
Children are offered a place to disconnect from the world and enjoy solitude while. The guest house has five beds, a shower and a toilet. It overlooks the dining room, where the children eat, and its ceiling is aligned with the dining room floor level to ensure that the sea remains visible.
A spiral staircase facing the sea leads from the dining room to the ground floor and descends to the access to the guest house, which seems almost underground. The front door to each room is actually a window that automatically rises and falls at the touch of a button, giving visitors the feeling of being immersed in the view.
El Amigo pub, another newly built space, is a friendly place to enjoy a night out with friends. It was designed to look like a hole in the ground, and during the day, soft light filters through the roof, creating a soft ambiance reminiscent of light passing through shoji screens. The pub’s windows offer a panoramic view of the sea, making it an excellent venue for ryurei-style tea ceremonies.